Card-index file.



No. 999,942. Patented nec. l2, |899.

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CARD INDEX FILE.

(Apphcation led May 16, 1899.)

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Patented Dec. l2, |899.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. W. SCAHRITT.

CARD INDEX FILE.

. L.; E (Application med my 1s, 1899.)

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CARD-INDEX FILE.

sPEcIFicATIoN forming part ef Letters Patent Ne. 638,942,- detedDecember 12, 1899.4 Applicaties ned- Mey 1s, 1399. serai 110.717,'023.oie' man.)

To til whom t weary concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. SCARRITT, of Belton, Cass county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCard-Index Files, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to index-files, and more especially to that classwherein the index-cards are held in position in a drawer by means of arod extending longitudinally through the drawer and the cards containedtherein.

Patents now in force disclose constructions wherein the file-rod extendsthrough the perforation in the body of each card. This construction isobjectionable, because to remove the first or foremost card it isnecessary after pulling the drawer open to pull the rod forward until itis withdrawn from all the cards. To obviate this objection, otherpatents exist which embrace a flattened rod eX- tending through theenlargement of a narrow slot in the lower edge of each card, so that byturning the flattened rod to a vertical position the cards can beremoved from the rod without longitudinal movement of the latter, thecards being locked in position when the rod is turned to a horizontalposition because its longest diameter is then transverse of and cannotpass through said narrow slot. This construction is objectionable,because the cards are not held reliably by the rod under carelesshandling of the drawer when withdrawn. Theoretically the connection isperfect, but practically it is not.

The primary object of my invention is to produce a card-index 1ile whichwill possess the advantageous features of the two types referred to withthe objectionable features of neither-that is to say, a device whichwill permit the inversion of the drawer, if desired, without anypossibility of dislocating the cards, or, on the other hand, will permitany or all of the cards to be removed from the drawer or additionalcards inserted without requiring the file-rod to be pulled forwardthrough the drawer or rotated.

A further object is to provide a device of i this character whichpossesses the desirable features of simplicity, strength, durability,and cheapness of construction.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiarfeatures of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 represents in horizontal section a cabinet containing adouble-drawer card-index file constructed in accordance with myinvention, said drawer being shown partly in horizontal section. Fig. 2is a vertical section taken on the irregular dotted line I I of Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing my single-drawer construction. Fig.4 is a View substantially similar to Fig. 3, but showing the drawer andfile-rod in a different relation. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View ofthe card-follower. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of thele-rod-locking mechanism of the double-drawer construction. Fig. 7 is asimilar View of the le-rod-locking mechanism of the single-drawerconstruction. l

Referring to said drawings in detail, l designates a cabinet or box ofthe usual or any preferred type, and secured to the box is a lockingdevice, (designated in a general way by A,) said locking devicecomprising a plate 2, provided with a tubular arm or sleeve 3,projecting forwardly into the drawer-chamber and formed within saidchamber with opposite slots 4, through which extend the arms of a spring5, the tension of said arms holding them reliably in said slots at al1times. There will be in practice a locking device of the above type forand in'longitudinal alinement with each tile-rod.

6 designates a drawer to slide in the draweropening of the cabinet., Thebottom of the drawer is elevated sufliciently above the plane on whichit slides-viz., the bottom of the drawer-opening--to provideachamber 7,and said chamber communicates with a registering notch 8 in the loweredge of the back wall of the drawer for a purpose which will hereinafterappear, and the bottom of each drawer or each compartment of a drawer isformed with a central longitudinal slot 9.

10 designates the sliding card-follower, of approximatelyisosceles-triangular form in cross-section and formed with a rectangularIOO neck 11, depending snugly through the registering slot 9 andprovided at its under side with the spring-plate 12 of greater widththan said slot and pressing *firmly up against the bottom of the drawer,so as to 'reliably hold the follower at any point to which it may beadjust-ed, it being understood that this follower is adapted as asupport for the indexcards, (not shown,) being adj usted rearwardly toaccommodate an increase in the number of the cards in the manner commonto devices of this class. The follower is provided with an opening 13 inlongitudinal alinement with the tubular arm of the locking device, saidopening being in the form of a metallic tube having a vflaring mouth 14at its rear side. The front end of the tube is also flared slightly, asis also the front end of the tubular arm of the locking device and thesimilar tube 15, secured in the rear wall of the drawer and providedwith a similar rearwardly-flaring mouth 16. The front ends of thesetubes are thus iared or internally beveled for a purpose which willhereinafter appear.

17 designates a triangular block which is secured in the front end ofeach drawer or drawer-compartment, and 1S a slotted tube carried by saidblock and formed with a flaring mouth 19, said tube being arranged inlongitudinal alinement with the tubes 13 and 15 and the tubular arm 3 ofthe locking device.

In the double-drawer construction the slot of the tube 18 is verticallybelow the center of the tube, while in the single-drawer construction itis vertically above the center of the tube.

B designates in a general way the file-rod, the same consisting of thecylindrical cardsupporting spindle 20, the diametrically-reduced neckportion 21 near its front end, and the conical head 22 forward of saidneck portion. Near its rear end the rod is formed with an enlargement orcollar 23 and rearward of the same terminates in an approximatelyacorn-shaped head 24, said head at its point of connection with theenlargement being of less diameter than the latter and occupying aposition when the rod is anchored to the cabinet by the locking deviceopposite the slots in the tubular arm 3, with the arms of the spring 5held tightly in said slots and against the reduced neck portion of thehead 24 with considerable tension, so as to prevent any possibility ofthe rod being disengaged from the locking device except by a directlongitudinal application of power, as hereinafter referred to. The armsof said spring, as will be readily understood by reference to thedrawings, extend through the slots in the tubular arm 3 and intersectthe path of movement of the acorn-shaped head 24, so that as said headis forced rearward into the tubular arm it will, acting as a wedge,spring said arms outwardly, the arms by their own tension resuming theiroriginal positions and embracing tightly the narrow neck portion of thehead 24 as said rod reaches its limit of movement in the directionindicated. On the other hand, when the file-rod is pulled forward in amanner hereinafter explained the acornshaped head acts as a wedge tospring the arms apart until its release is effected. The file-rodextends forwardly from the locking device through the tubes 15, 13, and18 when the drawer is closed, and. the enlargement 23 acts to limit theclosing movement of the drawer, and thereby protect the locking devicefrom injury which might result from forcibly closing the drawerif theinward movement of the latter was not limited.

As the double drawer is provided with a file-rod for each compartment,it is desirable to manipulate or release said file-rods simultaneouslyor independently. Therefore I have provided the followingconstructionthat is to say, a bearing-bracket 25 is secured to the frontwall of each drawer-compartment and projects into a recess formed in theblock 17 to receive it, and journaled in said recess is a rock-shaftprovided at its inner end with an upwardly-extending crank-arm 26 and atits outer end with the rearwardly-extending crank-arm 27,. saidcrank-arm being formed with a ratchet-head 28, adapted to engage inbehind the conical head of the corresponding file-rod, saidratchet-headed crank-arm being adapted to play up and down through theslot of the guide-sleeve 1S, being forced downward through said slot asit strikes the conical head 22 of the file-rod and springing up behindsaid head under the action of the coil-spring 28, said spring encirclingthe shaft and secured thereto at one end and bearing at its opposite endagainst the bearing-bracket 25. The crank-arms 26 ofthe rock-shafts cometogether in an opening or recess 6b, formed in the front end of thepartition Gf of the double drawer, and under the pressure of saidsprings eonjointly the push-button 29, engaging the said arms 2G, isforced and held outward normally, as shown in Fig. 1. At opposite sidesof the push-button 29 are the similar pushbuttons 30 31, one beingadapted for engagement with the crank-arm 26 of one shaft and the otherwith the crank-arm 26 of the companion shaft. By this arrangement it isobvious that the operator by pushing inward upon the push-button 30 or31 can rotate the rock-shaft and cause its headed arm to release thecorresponding file'rod, so that the drawer can be opened, if desired,without withdrawing that particular file-rod with it. 0n the other hand,if it be desired to open the drawer, leaving both file-rods anchored tothe cabinet at their rear ends, it can be accomplished by simplypressing the push-button 29 rearward, this operation causing thesimultaneous rotation of the rock-shafts and the disengagement of theirheaded arms 27 with the heads of the file-rods, aswvill be readilyunderstood. To effect the openin g of the IOO IIO

drawer and leave the iile-rod anchored to the cabinet,`it is of coursenecessary to maintain the pressure upon the push-button until the drawerhas been opened about an eighth of an inch to prevent any possibility ofthe reengagement of the headed crank-arms with the heads of the rods.

If it be desired to withdraw the file-rods with the drawer, it is onlynecessary for the operator to grasp the handle 32 and pull the draweropen. In this operation the engagement of the arrow-headed arms with theheads of the ile-rods is not disturbed, and in this relation the powerapplied to open the drawer is transferred by the acorn-shaped heads 24of the rods to the spring-arms of the locking devices, the latter beingof'course compelled to yield under this action and release the heads.

In the single-drawer construction in lieu of the cranked rock-shaft I bypreference employ its mechanical equivalent in the shape of aratchet-headed lever 33, this lever projecting through the front wall ofthe drawer and into the slot of the sleeve 18, through which it isadapted to vertically play in engaging or releasing the head of thele-rod. This lever is pivoted to and also extends through theescutcheon-plate 34, secured to the front of the drawer and providedwith a finger-grip 35, a spring 36, encircling the pivot connecting theescutcheon-plate and the lever, having its opposite ends bearing againstthe finger-grip of the escutcheon-plate and the thumb-piece or handle ofthe lever, so as to hold the headed end of the latter with a yieldingpressure in engagement with the head of the file-rod, as shown clearlyin Fig. 3, said lever being disengaged from the Iilerod by downwardpressure applied upon its outer end, as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 3 the drawer is shown as partly open and the file-roddisconnected from the cabinet. y When totally withdrawn, it is obviousthat the drawer may be inverted or placed in any position without anypossibility of the index-cards being disarranged or dislocated.

In Fig. 4 the drawer is also partly withdrawn; but the file-rod remainsanchored to the cabinet, so that when the draweris opened a sufiicientdistance the index-cards are perfectly free and may be removed orreplaced at will. supposing that there be only a few cards in the drawerand those at the front end, it is obvious that by opening the drawerjust a slight distance the cards maybe slipped ott the front end of therod and when replaced will be rethreaded upon the rod by simply closingthe drawer, because the rod is maintained in the proper position withrelation to the card-holes by the alined guidesleeves hereinbeforereferred to. In this connection it will be observed that by internallybeveling the front ends of the guide-sleeves 13 and l5 the head 22 ofthe filerod is prevented from catching on the front end of either tubeas the drawer is opened with the rod anchored to the cabinet and thatthebeveled mouths of said tubes and of the tube 18 makes it unimportantwhether the rod is eX- actly centered when replacing the drawer in thecabinet. Furthermore7 the internallybeveled front end of the tubular armor sleeve of the locking device A makes positive and reliable therentrance of the head 24 in said arm or sleeve as the drawer carryingthe rod is closed.

When the drawer is entirely removed from the cabinet and the file-rod issupported solely by the locking mechanism of the cabinet, it is obviousthat the front end of the rod would tend to sag, particularly in thecase of avery long drawer and where the rear end of the rod did not fitany too snugly in the tubular arm of the locking device. To avoid anytrouble or annoyance on this score and to save the time which would belost by centering the rod by hand, I provide the daring mouth of thesleeve 15 with a guide eXtension 37, arranged with its lower end inabout the same plane as the top of the block 38, secured to the bottomof the cabinet in line with the drawer-opening 8, but near the front endof the cabinet in order to support the front end of the rod (in case it,sags so far) sufficiently high for its positive and reliable engagementwith guide extension 37 as the drawer is fitted into the cabinet, theeXtension in the subsequent closing of the drawer insuring the passageof the rod through the sleeve 15, as will be readily understood..

As a substitute for the blockand-guide extension the spring-support maybe employed, this spring 39, (see Fig. 3,) like the block, notpreventing the opening of the drawer, because it passes freely throughthe door-opening 8. As the drawer is withdrawn from the cabinet thespring rises under its own tension and holds the iile-rod substantiallyin position to reenter the sleeve 15 as the drawer is closed, thelatterin its closing movement forcing the spring to the inoperativeposition shown in Fig. 3.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced acard-index file which embodies the features of advantage enumerated inthe statement of invention and which is of simple, strong, durable, andcheap construction, and it is to be understood that while I haveillustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention Ireserve the righ-t to make all changes which properly fall within itsspirit and scope.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A card-index file, comprsinga cabinet, a drawer therein, and afile-rod carried by said drawer and detachably connected to the cabinet,for the purpose set forth.

2. A cardindex file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer therein, a lockingdevice attached ICO IIO

to the cabinet and embodying a spring, and a file-rod carried by thedrawer and provided with an approximately acorn-shaped head with itsreduced or neck portion clasped firmly by said spring, substantially asdescribed.

3. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer therein, a lockingdevice attached to the cabinet, consisting of a tubularfarm or sleeveand a spring, and a file-rod carried by the drawer and provided with asubstantially acorn-shaped head to enter said arm or sleeve and have itsneck portion embraced by said spring, substantially as described.

4. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer therein, and afile-rod anchored to said cabinet and detachably connected to saiddrawer, substantially as described.

5. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer, a ratchet-headedrock arm or lever carried by the drawer, and a file-rod connected at itsrear end to the cabinet and eX- tending through said drawer and providedat its front end with a head engaged by said arm or lever, substantiallyas described.

6. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer, a ratchet-headedrock arm or lever carried by the drawer, a file-rod connected at itsrear end to the cabinet and extending through said drawer and providedat its front end with a head engaged by said arm or lever, andapush-button to effect the disconnection of said arm or lever from thehead ot' said file-rod, substantially as described.

7. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a double drawer therein, afile-rod extending through each compartment of the drawer and anchoredat its rear end to the cabinet and provided at its front end with ahead, a rock shaft or lever suitably journaied in each compartment ofthe drawer and provided with crank-arms at their inner and outer ends,the crank-arms at the outer ends being formed with ratchetheads, springsto hold said ratchet-headed arms in engagement with the heads of thefile-rods, a push-button arranged to engage the inner crank-arm of eachshaft, and a push-button 'arranged to simultaneously engage the innercrank-arms of both of said shafts, substantially as described.

8. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer therein, and afile-rod extending longitudinally through the drawer and detachablyconnected to the same at its front end and lto the cabinet at its rearend, substantially as described.

9. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a drawer therein, acard-follower in said drawer, guide-sleeves carried by said drawer andsaid follower and provided with rearwardlyfiaring mouths, and a file-rod anchored at its rear end to the cabinet and eX- tending forwardthrough said sleeves and connected at its front end to the drawer,substantially as described.

10. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a support projecting upwardfrom the bottom of the cabinet near its front end, a drawer in thecabinet, a file-rod anchored at its rear end to the cabinet andextending forward into the drawer and adapted when the drawer is removedto sag down at its front end toward said support, and a flaring-mouthedguide-sleeve in the rear end of the drawer, provided with a guideextension, substantially as described.

1l. A card-index file, comprising a cabinet, a slotted drawer therein, afile-rod extending through the drawer and anchored at its opposite endsto the cabinet and the drawer, and a card-follower mounted in the drawer.upon saidrod and provided with a neck portion engaging a slot of thedrawer and with a spring-plate bearing up against the bottom of thedrawer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHAS. W. SCARRITT.

Witnesses:

JAMES F. BLAIR, WILLIAM A. GILHAM.

